The San Francisco 49ers acquire Trent Williams
It sure took a while, but on Saturday afternoon the Washington Redskins were finally able to rid themselves of unhappy left tackle Trent Williams. Williams was shipped off to the San Francisco 49ers in a deal that saw the Redskins acquire a fifth-round pick – 156th overall – in the 2020 NFL Draft and a third-round selection in next year’s draft.
The Redskins opted to go with Keith Ismael, an outside linebacker out of San Diego State with the 156th pick that they snapped up in the deal. Ismael is 6ft 3ins, 309lbs and will be looking to make an immediate impact with his new team.
According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, Williams would have been traded sooner but refused to move to Minnesota. Apparently, the Vikings had a similar deal completed for the left tackle, but the player was not interested in playing for the franchise.
Williams has spent his entire nine-year career in Washington after being selected fourth overall out of Oklahoma in the 2010 NFL Draft. He didn’t play a single game last season though after disagreeing with the Redskins over a medical procedure and failed physical.
“After nine years with the Washington Redskins, 119 starts and 7 Pro-Bowls, the time has come to part ways. Trent Williams is ready to get back to competing in the NFL and is glad to be part of a great organization like the San Francisco 49ers,” his agent Vincent Taylor said in a statement.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting that the 49ers were quick to make the move as they have learned 35-year-old left tackle Joe Staley is set to retire due to health concerns. Staley has played his entire career in San Francisco after being drafted 28th overall in the 2007 NFL Draft. He was named to the Pro-Bowl seven times over his career and was included on the NFL all-decade team.
The 49ers won the competitive NFC West division last season with an impressive 13-3 record before ultimately losing in the Super Bowl to the Kansas City Chiefs. It was the first time San Francisco reached the postseason since 2013. With the trade for Williams, the 49ers have sent a clear signal of intent to the rest of the league that they are looking to build on the success they enjoyed throughout last season.
Washington were not nearly as fortunate as the 49ers last year, finishing dead last in their division with an embarrassing 3-13 record. Only the Cincinnati Bengals finished with less wins in the entire league. The Redskins only reached the postseason twice with Williams on the team, once in 2012 and once in 2015. On both occasions though, they were eliminated in the Wild Card Round.
The Redskins selected 21-year-old Chase Young out of Ohio State with the second overall pick on Thursday night. Young is an explosive pass-rusher who could help turn the struggling franchise around.
